I’m new to diving (just completed my Open Water dives and now have my PADI Card) and started picking up ’Deals’ on likely old/out dated gear. A couple of those deals were two dive computers... an Ocianic Data Plus, and an Aladin Sport. Both needed batteries so how difficult can that be?!

The Data Plus was a quick and simple exchange and it was up and running (leaving me a few hours to read the instructions).

In contrast, the Aladin Sport has been a real challenge. In part, just finding instructions and translating them into English was the first hoop I had to jump through. Next, the odd battery had to be ordered and then soldered into place - yielding the expected ERR that had to be rebooted - after a few dozen efforts and a kind email of encouragement from Terry Brady . In hind sight, I would have left this task to Terry as his prices appear very reasonable.

I finished the battery replacement by filling the mineral oil back into the computer, being careful to get all air out (because who wants bubbles in their display?!). To assure the bubbles all came out, I used a vacuum chamber (actually it was a food storage container with the vacuum top) to cycle a light vacuum and then release several times. This worked better than expected. I just made sure the electronics were submersed in mineral oil and let the vacuum pull the air out.

In case anyone cares, here’s the translated instructions that I followed.

Cheers,

Bill

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Replacing the batter in a Aladin Pro

CCC November 16, 2007

and French to English Translation on October 6, 2012

I bought my Aladin Pro nine in 2001. After about 300 dives a little over 6 years, my battery indicator shows 61%. The response times are long and wet contacts, I managed to download more data on my PC via my interface (artisanal). So I decided myself to replace the battery rather than sending my computer from Uwatec.

For this, I am inspired by a past post on this fr.rec.plongee there some time.

Here the animal before the start of the operation.With the level of the battery.

For ease of handling, we first remove the bracelet. It’s very simple. The bracelet is just held by a metal rod that simply drag to remove but be careful, the diameter is not identical two sides. We can not remove it by pushing the rod from the smallest diameter to the largest.

And now, the band is removed. Until then, it’s easy and no particular problem.

Provide a container to collect oil that may leak when you will open the box.Here, I simply took a box of mask (not perforated).

You can see that I have not been brilliant. I damaged the bottom wanted apart. On my computer, unlike other generation of Aladdin, the bottom is glued on each side by two glue dots. To remove, first made the jump glue dots on each side with a spatula fine, a putty knife or something similar and you should be able to avoid damaging the case.

Here’s what it looks like from the inside:

The bottom plastic guard just a flexible rubber membrane.The same membrane seals because it is nested in a groove that goes around the box.

Once the membrane is removed, there are on the photo against the oil bath that bathes the computer. The oil used to transfer the pressure to the pressure sensor without varying the volume as oil is not compressible.

Here is a close up of stack

This is already a vial of liquid paraffin. Notice the transparency of this oil. The 4 € 40 quart pharmacy.

The battery (ref. LS14500, Lithium LR07 3.6V) costs a dozen euros. Remember tabs otherwise you will have big problems to solder the battery.

You can solder the battery. For my part, I have kept tabs on the previous battery to avoid damaging the circuit board. This is even more than the footprint of the PCB was not fit to my new battery tabs.

In the photo below cons, I notice that de-clipped the circuit board to facilitate the oil filler later.

Once the battery soldered, the display shows "Err" ie "error". We must now reboot. For this, connect the yellow and the red point with an electric wire. This procedure can be very temperamental. I made it 2 times because I wanted to give it a try removing the battery again. The first time no problem, ca works the first time. The second time, it does not want to work and I insisted time and I finally gave up. The next morning I tried again and it worked immediately.

When the reset operation, the computer displays all elements of the display and then it shows the basic display.

Tinkering in the contacts, is the battery level ..... YYYyyyyeeessssss!

Now, we must put the oil. To limit the amount of oil to use, I cut a brick fruit juice which will be my receptacle. The aladin just returned it. I said that to facilitate the evacuation of the bubbles and the penetration of the oil on the side of the display, I de-clipped the PCB. To replace, simply push in the box.

It only remains to be filled with paraffin oil and shake a little. Then carefully turn the flexible membrane. Pushing on the diaphragm, replace the PCB. Following in the membrane thoroughly in the groove, it is this which makes the seal.

Once done, you just have to max out the bottom of the box.

It is finished. You have all risen. It only remains to try. I do not know too advise you to take a timer duplicate until we have confirmed several dives that your pressure sensor is right.

For the record, during my first dive (~ 18m), the timer I used showed a constant offset of 0.6 m less than my PC. It was not catastrophic but it bothered me a little. Recently I had the opportunity to compare my computer with the Suunto Vytec 58mètres up and there I was only 0.2 or 0.3 meter apart.

I’ve done a bunch of these in the past. One important tip is to remember: Once you have confirmed that everything is good to go - no air bubbles and it’s working with 99% on the battery meter..... tag the two side tabs of the front cover where they overlap with a tiny, tiny drop of crazy glue to keep everything together. Immediately after gluing, place the computer face down and allow time for the glue to dry so it doesn’t run down and drip onto the rubber seal which would screw up the seal for the next battery change. It’s tempting to pick it up and play with it right away, but give it a few minutes for the glue to set.

B.A.S.C. will not replace any battery into an oil filled computer. The reason is simple. That is all about liability. And computer battery replacement is what they do. They won’t do the job and send it to ScubaPro. Then for sure its not safe enough for you to be diving with it. If there is any bit of air bubble in the oil. It may change the depth reading and mess you up. Even if you do everything correctly the algorythem is not that forgiving. Also no audio warning signals during a dive. B.A.S.C. charges usually $50 for any computer battery change. Otherwise oil filled computers are shipped out for $120. There are brand new computers now days that do a better job then that old $1200 computer for around $250 today. I sold my 12 year old UWATEC Alladin Pro with 60% battery life for $120 with no download accesories. Bought a 2 year old UWATEC Galaleo Sol/ tranmitter used for $700. And I can resell that in another 10 years easily with inflation for about $250. Also can replace batteries like a flashlight myself for $4.50.

Interesting. Well it cost me about double that as I had to buy the battery and the oil. I could do it again for under $5 now. While getting a new computer for $250 would have happened, my LDS and several others kept telling me I needed a thousand dollar computers and everything cheaper is junk. Well I’m not ready to pay that - yet - so I’m making do with what I have now.

As far as calibration, I dove with two computers and a gauge, plus my dive partner and all agreed its fine.